Fayette Co. Board of Education

DOES SMOLA THINK WE'RE STUPID? Probably.

Tue, 10/21/2008 - 6:10pm
By: tc

In today’s article by Ben Nelms FCBOE member Janet Smola is quoted as saying: “The reason the SPLOST came up after the primary was because on Aug. 4 the governor delivered another 2.5 percent in cuts to quality education,” Smola said, noting that the cuts came after the school system adopted its budget. Since then the system is bracing for another $3 million in additional cuts, she said. (Note that school district administrator Sam Sweat first floated this "explanation" at the "state education funding meeting" a few weeks ago that was really a pro-SPLOST forum.)

In Drew Groome’s letter to the editor, he states: Mr. Brown further distorts the email content by suggesting SPLOST was a last-minute secret. However, if he had interpreted the email correctly, he would have understood the SPLOST initiative came about per Governor Purdue’s August announcement of additional cuts in state funding.

Here’s a suggestion: go to www.fcboe.org and click on the board agendas for the July 21 board work session and the second of two board meetings on Aug. 4. This shows without a doubt that the first school board SPLOST work session occurred a full two weeks prior to the Aug. 4 cuts referenced by Smola. The vote to put the SPLOST on the ballot occurred on Aug. 4 after three public meetings, the same day as the Governor’s budget cuts announcement. Mr. Groome, please check any facts you get from these people. July always comes before August and facts are hard to disguise when the public is paying attention.

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Eleventh Hour Has Arrived FCBOE!
gelato's picture
Submitted by gelato on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 6:39am.

For many months now we have been bombarded with pros and cons in regard to Ms. Smola and her actions within the FCBOE. We have CrimeDog who obviously is either one of the Smola's in disguise or a bosom buddy of theirs, we have suggarfoot who wants Nicole File elected in the worse possible way, we have Mr. Steve Brown bringing us hard facts which contradict practically all Ms. Smola has stated...which I have investigated as well, and whether I ever agreed or disagreed with Mr. Brown's politics, this doesn't enter into play in this matter. The bottom line is that WE NEED CHANGE, and it will not be coming from Janet Smola who has blatantly misled, misinformed and has not been honest to her constituents. For the most part the citizens of Fayette County do anything they can to protect our turf, and the time has come, the witching hour is here for change. Whether you like or dislike Nicole File, she is the only one opposing Smola, and we need to decide whether we want to continue to be deceived or whether we truly need to make a change. Nothing can be worse than what we have now. I have exercised my right to vote for over 40 years, and I owe it to my grandchildren and other generations to come to try to make things better for them. Ms. Smola has proved unworthy of my vote; and the only way to remove her is by taking a chance on Mrs. File. So be it!


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well said Gelato ..VOTE NICOLE FILE!!!!
suggarfoot's picture
Submitted by suggarfoot on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 8:11pm.

yes, I am for File getting elected for many reasons. We do need a change, we need someone who has children in the system and a sincere heart.

The deeper I look, the more uncomfortable I get with having a wife of a developer, plumbing corp, LLC wizard, whatever, on the board, wheeling and dealing in real estate.

But, I really get the willies when I see her siamese twin with a non profit corp, [take a look at how one of her sites tells you to avoid taxes if you can be non profit], while she wants to tax us to the max!

Then, I started looking at the rules for the LLCs that keep switching hands and names before selling land to the BOE. I went of the Georgia sec of state web site and a few others, and found that they only have to register the names of 2 or 3 officers in their LLC, limited liability corp..

.THEY CAN SELL/GIVE STOCK TO PRIVATE PEOPLE...

YOU AND ME CAN NOT FIND OUT WHO.. THOSE.. PRIVATE PEOPLE ARE!

There is just too much room for questionable things. I think we should all chose vanilla, instead of tuttifrutti ...I don't want to go on a magical mystery tour with these folks...I don't trust them!
There is nothing tuttifrutti about Nicole....she keeps it up front, simple, and honest.

And really folks, we shouldn't even be having to talk about land deals, developer ties, LLC s...in the same breath with our children....should we?


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Gelato babe, really! File an empty suit!
The Crime Dog's picture
Submitted by The Crime Dog on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 7:00am.

I am not employed by Janet Smola, nor is she my friend. I just get disgusted when empty suits run for election.

- Nicole File has NOT said what she'd cut from the budget.
- Nicole File seems to want to demolish the new schools and somehow get our money back, which would be quite a miracle!

- You, Gelato, have no examples of how Smola has lied (misled and misinformed are your lukewarm words).

Sadly, too many of my friends have fallen for the File pavel and we will all pay the price. A Steve Brown puppet running our schools is a horrible thing indeed!!!


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Hey Honey...
gelato's picture
Submitted by gelato on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 6:37pm.

Crime Dog called me a babe! You made my day! MUUUUAAA (a lukewarm kiss)!


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Steve Brown: Bingo! on FCBOE
Steve Brown's picture
Submitted by Steve Brown on Tue, 10/28/2008 - 5:57pm.

The blog got it right: "Here’s a suggestion: go to www.fcboe.org and click on the board agendas for the July 21 board work session and the second of two board meetings on Aug. 4. This shows without a doubt that the first school board SPLOST work session occurred a full two weeks prior to the Aug. 4 cuts referenced by Smola."

None of Smola's stories match.

The interesting part is the majority the items listed with the E-SPLOST referendum were not in the approved FCBOE budget. This one does not match either.

Many diehard PTO members cannot support the E-SPLOST due to the inconsistencies of the FCBOE.


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21 day window of opportunity
sniffles5's picture
Submitted by sniffles5 on Tue, 10/28/2008 - 6:59pm.

Make no mistake, the FCBOE had this backdoor SPLOST initiative planned down to the second:

July 15th: Smola, Smith and Key re-elected
July 21st: "End of the World" financial panic scenario announced at FCBOE meeting
July 27th (approx): Certain members urge swimming pool supporters to pack 28th meeting
July 28th: Public input meeting. 29 out of 30 speakers plead for SPLOST funding for various projects. Half of meeting hall reserved for BOE employees.
Aug 4th: two meeting crammed into one day to meet legal requirements for ballot initiatives.
Aug 4th: state of GA deadline for ballot initiatives.

The August 4th state cuts had absolutely no bearing on the SPLOST funds.

Remember: SPLOST includes $4.5 million for astroturf at football stadiums. See the detailed "wish list" that makes up the $115 million.


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yep..
suggarfoot's picture
Submitted by suggarfoot on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 7:03pm.

you may want to call the ga gov's office...they will lay it out for you...when...the BOE was told...and how much...your jaw will dropp!

But...you have to ask yourself...who will this help...? they are already saying...WE HAVE TO BUILD RIVERS...NOW TODAY THEY ARE SAYING ...WELL MAYBE IT WOULD HELP IF WE DIDN'T OPEN IT FOR A YEAR? GIVE ME A BREAK...ARE YOU GONNA TELL ME A NEW VACENT SCHOOL WOULDN'T BE VANDALLIZED? WHO IS IN THE BUILDING/DEVELOPEMNT AREA? WILL THIS HELP OUR KIDS? WILL IT HELP OUR TEACHERS? WILL IT HELP ...DEVELOPERS?...WHO HAS TIES TO D.E.V.E.L.O.P.E.R.S?


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oldbeachbear
The 5-0's picture
Submitted by The 5-0 on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 7:29am.

I agree with you that it does smell fishy, but...

The new school was planned and the land purchased during better economic times.

If they say that keeping it closed for a year will save money, then more power to them!
If they didn't close it, then you'd have half of the county screaming "they're wasting our money!"

It's a textbook example of a catch-22.


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